The Bavarian Forest, Germany - Have you been?

[Reddo]

I've got my first travel photography trip booked for November - I'm heading to the Bavarian Forest in Germany - Now I have never flown, nor have I left the country so this is a huge oppertunity for me and for my business.

I was wondering if anyone had been and could maybe share some photos or experiences of the animals there? I'll be mainly interested in the Wolves, Bear, Lynx, Deer and Horse but to see anything would be nice! Also if anyone had been lucky enough to visit the beautiful forest do you remember how close you could get to the animals? Any tips on the best telephoto lens to use ect?

I hope to see some photos! I'm incredibly excited about this trip - I just hope I have suitable camera equiptment - or enough time to purchase a suitable lens for trip!

Zoe

 

[sandbender]

Yes, I have been, no point in asking me about photography though I just point and shoot.

The food is very very good. The insect life not so good, horse flies were particularly bad.

BushrangerCZ's photo thread might give you some good ideas, not quite the same region but close enough I'd think.

 

[mousey]

Do you speak any german?

I went to the Black forest quite awhile a go now, beautiful place, as said earlier great food - good beer. Only once saw a deer and I wasn't paying any attention just walking along when suddenly something shot off into the trees from about 10 ft away - through pure luck I must have crept up on it unawares.

You'll have a great time - be sure to post some pics when you get back...

 

[Reddo]

Unfortunatly do not currently know any German, although I am hoping to learn the essentials before I leave.

I will definatly be posting photos!

Thanks for the link - great thread and some interesting shots!

 

[BushrangerCZ]

Hi mate, I was born just over the border, in Czech part of the forest, we call it Sumava National park (www.npsumava.cz). It makes (together with Bavarian forest) the biggest woodland region in central europe. It´s mainly coniferous, and varies from cultivated woodland up to primaeval forests on the border. After the iron curtain fell, you can walk over the border without problems and it´s practically one big forest. Lynx has well established population there, as well as roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, capital pieces of black deer (boars), and many others. Wolves and brown bears are rare, but protected and their numbers are slowly increasing. It´s very difficult to take photo of lynx, more chance if you would use phototrap. I have some pics from this region on my blog, so you can check it out if you´re interested. If you want to see some semi-wild animals in their natural enviroment, visit Bavarian forest park, they have all sorts of woodland animals kept in quite large fenced areas, so you can observe their natural behaviour. If you want real wildlife, you´ll have to use early morning or late evening, and you´ll probably get some roe deer and red deer. About the lenses - do you stalk and take pics while holding the cam in hand, or choose one good spot and wait with use of tripod?

 

[Reddo]

Hi mate, I was born just over the border, in Czech part of the forest, we call it Sumava National park (www.npsumava.cz). It makes (together with Bavarian forest) the biggest woodland region in central europe. It´s mainly coniferous, and varies from cultivated woodland up to primaeval forests on the border. After the iron curtain fell, you can walk over the border without problems and it´s practically one big forest. Lynx has well established population there, as well as roe deer, red deer, fallow deer, capital pieces of black deer (boars), and many others. Wolves and brown bears are rare, but protected and their numbers are slowly increasing. It´s very difficult to take photo of lynx, more chance if you would use phototrap. I have some pics from this region on my blog, so you can check it out if you´re interested. If you want to see some semi-wild animals in their natural enviroment, visit Bavarian forest park, they have all sorts of woodland animals kept in quite large fenced areas, so you can observe their natural behaviour. If you want real wildlife, you´ll have to use early morning or late evening, and you´ll probably get some roe deer and red deer. About the lenses - do you stalk and take pics while holding the cam in hand, or choose one good spot and wait with use of tripod?

Hey thanks, ill take a look at your blog - It does sound incredible - I will probably visit the park no doubt, but would definatly prefer the real wild animals. As for the stalking ect - I do both, a mixture of sitting in certain spots and stalking - so its abit tricky

 

[Reddo]

Do you know what kind of weather i should expect around that time of year? November that is?

 

[BushrangerCZ]

November can be pretty cold, most probably temperatures around 0°C, freezing at night and about 5°C during the day, depends at what altitude you gonna stay. There may be some snow already on the ridges, but I guess not in lower parts. Get ready for cold and wet, and daylight will be short, especially in the forest.
This is official website of german national park Bavarian forest:
http://www.nationalpark-bayerischer-wald.de/english/index.htm